Berneece Alene Hawkins

Berniece Hawkins was born on August 21, 1929, in Jennings, Oklahoma, to Scott and Estella Leyerle. She passed away quietly and peacefully on March 2, 2026.

Berniece married Floyd Hawkins in 1950, while Floyd was in the Air Force, and they had one son, Bill, in 1952. After being discharged, they moved to Coffeyville, Kansas, for a brief period. From there, they moved to Hobbs, NM, in 1955. Floyd went to work for Phillips 66 and Berniece went to work for Tootie’s Supermarket, where she went from cashier to office manager. They both retired from the same companies they started with, having only one employer each for their entire time in Hobbs.

Berniece is survived by a son, Bill and his wife Cynthia of Hobbs, New Mexico; Two brothers, Ken Leyerle of Houston, Texas., and Marvin Leyerle of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd, her mother and father, Scott and Estella Leyerle, and her sister, Vella Jones, of Lolita, Texas. Berniece was also very thankful for her bonus families of Tyler, Amanda, and Creed Cox, along with Randy, Jill, Hudson, and Hunter Hair.

Berniece was a very tender, compassionate, and devoted wife, mother, and friend. She was a very good cook and always hosted Thanksgiving at her house with very large family gatherings for as long as she was able. After the feast there would be many, many, card games of Hand and Foot, for the rest of the day.

The family would like to sincerely express their thanks and gratitude to Beehive Homes of Hobbs. Berniece spent the last 10 years of her life there with their much-needed help, compassion, and friendship.

A true, kind, loving soul will forever be missed, loved, and never forgotten.

Family requests that in lieu of plants and flowers, donations to the American Diabetes Association at http://American Diabetes Association would be appreciated.